


The Folk of One Shots

by heda_raiven



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: One Shot, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:55:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25913206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heda_raiven/pseuds/heda_raiven
Summary: A few scenes that left me feeling that a little more could have happened. . . So, I wrote them. Just a series of 'One Shots' really, if that is the correct name.
Relationships: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar
Comments: 5
Kudos: 59
Collections: favorite on TFOTA





	1. Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Book 2, Chapter 10: 
> 
> I stand, “The Council wants Locke to arrange some amusement to please Grimsen. If it’s nice, perhaps the smith will make you a cup that never runs out of wine.”  
>  Cardan gives me a look up through his lashes that I find hard to interpret and then rises, too. He takes my hand. “Nothing is sweeter,” he says, kissing the back of it. “But that which is scarce.”  
>  My skin flushes, hot and uncomfortable.

I pull my hand back from him, perhaps a bit hasty as the corners of his mouth turn upwards in a smirk. My look lingered on his lips a second too long, I realise. It seems that Cardan noticed as well, as he takes a step to his left, which is in the direction I was about to walk.

  
I straighten my shoulders and lift my chin up. “Do you have another matter to discuss?”

  
“I do, actually,” Cardan cocks his head as he looks down on me. I watch his scheming eyes carefully. “And we have a very short time to discuss this matter before they begin to question what is happening in here.”

  
I hesitate before I open my mouth. “Well, is it the right time to discuss this. . . matter?” I would lie if I said I was trying to ignore Cardan’s hand holding mine once again. He lifted his other hand to my jaw, gently tracing my bone structure from one side to the other with the tips of his finger.

  
“Anytime is a good time.” Cardan was closer now. His fingers lingered under my chin, lifting it high enough that my lips brushed against his. He moved his mouth along my cheek, waiting at my ear as he whispered, “Remove your pants.”

  
I pulled his hand to my waistband and replied, “Why don’t you do it yourself?”

Cardan pulls back with a grin on his face. He looks surprised. “Is that an order?”

I bite the bottom of my lip. Technically, he asked for it. “I order you to get on your knees, and take them off yourself.”

  
Despite the order coming out of my mouth, Cardan appears to enjoy getting onto his knees. I feel my breath shake as both of his hands grab the top of my pants and begin to pull them down. I didn’t say how he should remove them in the order, and so he does it slowly. He kisses my thighs as he does so.

  
When my pants are around my ankles, he looks up at me through those lashes once more. “And now?” He says.

  
My mouth is open, ready to give my next order, impatient for his next move. But, I am distracted as there is a knock at Cardan’s door. I instantly reach down to pull my pants back up, a task which Cardan assists me with. All the while, he wears the biggest grin. I wish to wipe it off his face.

  
I brush past him, swinging open the door with the hope that my face is not flushed red as it feels it is. Locke is standing at the door, his fist prepared to land another round of knocks. “All yours,” I say, sauntering past the rest of Cardan’s little circle. My knees shake. My breathing is hard. But I keep my face straight until I know that no one else is there to see me. I press my back against a wall and let out a long sigh.


	2. Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Book 2, Chapter 12:
> 
> “Assemble the Living Council in my rooms in the palace,” he tells me, voice cold and remote and loyal. “I will join you as soon as I can get away.”  
> I nod and am halfway through the crowd when I realise two things: One, he gave me an order; and two, I obeyed it.
> 
> * * *

In my rooms, I begin to strip off my clothes when the door opens and closes behind me. By the time I turn to see who it is, Cardan is already standing directly in front of me. He looks down at my attempt to cover myself up, then looks back to my eyes.  
  
“I didn’t think you would get away so soon,” I finally say. My face is already flushed. I’m perplexed that he could make fun of me in front of all the folk only a short while beforehand.  
  
Cardan places a hand on my bare upper arm. “I had more pressing matters to attend to. Locke will keep the others amused.”  
  
“What are these pressing matters that you continue to speak of?” I watch his hand move down my arm, until it gently takes my hand. This causes my clothes, that had been clenched to my chest, to fall to the ground. Although I don’t forget that he has seen me in my undergarments more than once, I realise that this is still quite a personal moment.  
  
Cardan regards my bare skin momentarily before gently shoving me back. I stumble once, enough to land on my back on my bed. I close my eyes and bring forward the memory of him asleep on this very bed. When I open them, he is on top of me. His hands are either side of my head.  
  
“The Living Council will be waiting for us.” At this point, my speech is just helping to keep my nerves in check. My breathing has already deepened. I notice that my legs spread ever so slightly, just to welcome Cardan on top of me.  
  
“They can wait a little while longer, don’t you think?”  
  
“I suppose I can agree.”  
  
His lips almost press down onto mine. Almost. But he looks beside me to a small parchment. He sits up and passes the parchment to me. He watches as I unfold and read it. My chest rises and falls as I continue to breath heavily.  
  
My voice is raspy as I say, “Perhaps we cannot wait. Madoc summons me.”


	3. Part Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Oh my. How bad is my use of the correct tense in this?)
> 
> Book 2, Chapter 29. Remember them getting married? Yeah, just after that.

After I released Cardan from his promise, there was an eerie feeling in the air. I held my breath. But, that was it. He was released from following my orders. And I? I was Queen of Elfhame.  
  
‘Now, will my wife join my side in bed?’ Cardan asked. From the bed, he looked up at me through his lashes. Though his eyes were black, they shone in the moonlight which beamed through the window.  
  
I smiled down at Cardan, and let myself giddily fall on top of him. Although he returned the smile, I noted that he still looked unwell. Despite feeling a. . . need in the space between my thighs, I figured it was best to leave this need for another time. I slowly pulled myself under the covers beside Cardan.  
  
We lay there silently, staring at one another. His eyes were still as dark as the first time I looked into them. But they certainly held no evil within them, like I once believed. Perhaps a part of me still worries that there is darkness within him, but now I have also learnt that there is also kindness.  
  
His fingers gently brush hair out of my face. They trail along my skin, making swirling patterns as he examines every part of me closely. A shiver runs through me as his fingers dance down to my shoulder. Ever so slightly, he pushes my sleeve down. I continue watching his eyes - he is so fascinated by every inch of my body. It is surprising to me.  
  
Cardan’s movements change abruptly. His eyes return to my face, and he leans in to kiss me. My lips part, ready for his kiss. It is deeper than I expected. Cardan’s soft fingertips move down to my breast. He grabs me through my shirt, rough and wanting. I don’t blame him. I want this just as much as he seems to.  
  
I reach up to entwine my fingers through his hair, grabbing fistfuls as he slips his tongue into my mouth. I sigh. Cardan takes that as if I said, I want more. Technically, I do.  
  
His hands snake down to my waist, and then my hips. He pulls my body against his. I bite the bottom of his lip. This time, Cardan moans. He pauses for a moment before going back in to kiss me. I pull back, despite how much I want to continue.  
  
“No. You need to rest.”  
  
His mouth hangs open. He hesitates, unsure of what is going on. “That isn’t what I want.”  
  
Hearing that sends another shiver through my body. It’s hard to stand by what I said when I know he wants me this badly. “Later.”  
  
“But later. . .” I place a finger against his mouth. He kisses it. “Fine. Later.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished the series quite quickly and didn't note down other ideas. So I'm ending this kind of abruptly here.


End file.
